1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a medicine bag which is used in the medical field or the like, specifically, a medicine bag which is used by providing a weak seal portion that divides its bag body into a plurality of division spaces, removing the sealing of the weak seal portion adjacent to a specific division space by increasing the internal pressure of that division space, and mixing a medicine stored in a predetermined division space.
2. Description of Related Art
As the medicines which are administered to patients by intravenous injections or the like, some are mixed and used with other such medicines. Some of those medicines are unstable, and thus, if mixed beforehand, they may deteriorate as time passes. In the case where such unstable medicines are stored, therefore, a medicine bag is generally used conventionally which has the following configuration. Specifically, several division spaces are formed which store those medicines separately before mixed. When the medicines are used, the division spaces are allowed to lead to each other to mix the medicines stored in each division space.
Some medicines deteriorate as they have been exposed to the light for many hours. If such photo-variable medicines are stored in the above described division spaces, a medicine bag is often used in which the division spaces are covered with a light-shielding layer portion such as an aluminum-foil layer portion.
In such a medicine bag which has the light-shielding layer portion, for example, as disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 0639364A1 or Japanese Design Registration No. 1107140, a weak seal portion which can be peeled divides its bag body into a liquid-medicine storage space that stores a liquid medicine and a medicine storage space that stores a photo-variable dried medicine. The inner wall of this medicine storage space is formed by a transparent flexible sheet. A cover is attached to the bag body so that it can be peeled. Herein, it includes a light-shielding layer portion which is formed by an aluminum film or a colored film that covers the inner wall so that a medicine inside of the inner wall can be shielded from the light.
When this medicine bag is used, usually, the liquid-medicine storage space is pressed by hand to apply pressure to the inside of the liquid-medicine storage space. Then, the weak seal portion is peeled using the pressure of the liquid medicine generated at this time. This allows the liquid-medicine storage space to lead to the medicine storage space, thus mixing the medicines in each storage space. Next, an operation is conducted such as a hole formed in the bag body is hung on a hanger of a bag stand. In order to display the remaining quantity of the medicines mixed in such a way as described above, the total quantity of the medicines before administered are confirmed using a remaining-quantity displaying portion (such as a calibration) which is provided in the bag body. Finally, a tube or the like for injecting a patient with a medicine is connected to a port of the medicine bag, and the medicines mixed in the medicine bag are administered to the patient. On the other hand, in addition to the above described series of operations shortly before administered, the cover is peeled, and then, the state of the medicines, such as how properly they have been mixed and how well they are preserved, is visually confirmed, so that the medicine can be properly administered.
However, in the case where the medicine bag of European Patent Publication No. 0639364A1 is used, even though the need for visual confirmation as described above is called, for example, a user may not peel the cover as the user grows accustomed, or the user may forget carelessly to peel the cover under a complicated situation. In this case, the user may conduct the series of operations without visually confirming medicines in the medicine storage chamber. As a result, the medicines to be essentially mixed may be administered to a patient without mixed, or the medicines which have undergone changes in their outside appearances may be administered to a patient as they are after mixed.